


Emotional

by tinyforestshark



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Emotional Outbursts, Emotions, M/M, Mention of Death, and hes not afraid to let you all know, background McHanzo, exactly what hes feeling, junkrat is a bucket of emotions, not of the main characters though
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-03
Updated: 2018-10-03
Packaged: 2019-07-24 14:32:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16177031
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinyforestshark/pseuds/tinyforestshark
Summary: Junkrat's never really had to hold his emotions in. He lets everything out as it happens and it startles the rest of the Intense Military Training members on base.





	Emotional

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Yaboiskinnypenis](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yaboiskinnypenis/gifts).



> Thank you tumblr user badputtana for your wonderful musings about Junkrat that allow me to project out my ass at the wonderful junk boy.

It happens often enough that Hog doesn’t think of it much anymore. Junkrat’s energy is consistent no matter what mood he is in. Is he excited to be running from the cops with some quality loot? He jumps and hollers and nearly falls out of his sidecar to throw his little cherry bombs at them. Is he mad? He goes on a tirade and stomps and screams until he gives himself a headache and Roadhog has to drag him into a bed. Is he upset? He’d full on cry.

Junkertown is not a place where people show weaknesses. Junkrat is not most people. Hell, even when he met Hog he was blatantly scrambling for the right excuse to get Hog to help him. That’s the one non-Junker-esque factor about him that Roadhog tries to care for, Junkrat is clear as day. He can’t lie. He wears his heart on his sleeve and is passionate and wild.

The other Overwatch members, however, are nearly all soldiers or linked to the military or a government in some way. So during one somewhat therapeutic night of members sharing their “Orphans and Puppies dying” stories, Roadhog doesn’t think to check on Rat until it is almost too late. Rat has plenty of his own “Orphans and Puppies” stories, everyone in the Junker wastes does. But Junkrat has made his peace and cried over those when they happened. He has never heard _these_ stories, some of which are.... genuinely distressing.

Roadhog is in the corner of the common space, as he normally is. A silent, hulking shadow wherever Rat goes. He is listening to McCree’s story when suddenly McCree’s breath hitched and so did Junkrat’s, ever so gently. He looks up from his knitting to see McCree turning to Junkrat. He tries to smile supportively but somewhat fails “Hey, there. It’s not so bad. It happened. It’s okay.” He suddenly stared at the table, his gaze a little hollow.

Roadhog takes note of Junkrat’s signs of a breakdown. He shakes a little. His robotic hand slowly clenches and unclenches, finger by finger, like he is checking it after putting it on..He stands suddenly, startling everyone at the table except Junkrat. He walks over silently, uncomfortably aware of the stares flicking back and forth between him and Rat. Junkrat sniffles loudly and McCree’s mouth opens to comfort him or apologize but Roadhog just shakes his head and scoops up Rat. Seeking comfort, Junkrat wraps around him and buries his face in Roadhog’s shoulder, full on crying now. 

Roadhog nods at McCree “Go on.” He understands the benefit of talking this stuff out with others. He just doesn’t want Rat to be too much of a distraction so he retreats back to his corner and holds Junkrat in his lap to rub his back and hum comfortingly in his ear. Junkrat doesn't try to stop crying. He’s never had to. He rides out the wave of emotional fully and deeply as any other feeling. He keeps whispering things to Roadhog like “They were just _kids_ , Hoggie.” and Roadhog’s heart aches when he thinks:

“You were, too.” He pushes aside his guilt for a moment though to focus on Junkrat.

“Can you believe it? All of ‘em. Gone ‘cause some fuckface.” The conversation at the table has continued but quieter. Hog glances over again and notices McCree has gone silent. Leaning back and introspective like he does sometimes. Hanzo’s arm is around his shoulders.

\--------

Junkrat’s next public spectacle is when he snaps angrily. Roadhog enters the common space to find Junkrat on the coffee table, stomping with his peg leg and causing the table to creak ominously. Most of the people who were swapping stories the other night are there and Hog quickly moves over to scoop Rat up by his harness so he doesn’t break the table.

“I’m not some _kid_ , ya drongos! You don’t gotta treat me like I can’t handle it. I’m the toughest junker around!!” Though he didn’t look it, punching and kicking in the air being held up like a rowdy kitten. The wind is sucked out of his sails a moment later and he goes limp, leaving him with just a lingering glare “You don’t gotta treat me with kiddie gloves. Just ‘cause I cry for dead kids.” Hog tucks him under an arm and takes him from the room before the others recover from his tantrum. Junkrat accepts his fate, limp in Roadhog’s grip but only because he’s long since learned he can’t fight the other. He continues to quietly grumble and rage.

By the time Roadhog reaches their room, and gets comfortable on the bed, Junkrat’s grumbling has died down. He gets comfy in Hog’s lap and leans his head against the other’s shoulder. Hog rubs his back gently, waiting for him to tell him what happened. He knows he doesn’t have to ask, Rat will tell him anyways.

“Everyone’s treatin’ me all gentle now. Goin’ quiet when I’m in the room, askin’ if I’m okay. I don’ like it. I’m not delicate. I just cry like a normal bloody person when I want to. It’s pointless to hold it in!” A pause “Hurts more if ya do.” Roadhog wraps his arms around Junkrat and presses his mask against his forehead in a “kiss”. Junkrat lets out one of those bubbly giggles and looks up “Thanks, roadie, you always know what to say.” Hog grunts out an affirmative noise.

“No breaking the furniture.” He warns and Junkrat laughs harder this time.

“Hey, it could hold a little more. You shoulda seen how scared they looked! Thinkin’ I was gonna stomp right through it.” He giggles again at the mental image.

\-------

Roadhog notices McCree hanging around Junkrat more. At first, he gets defensive, not wanting McCree to have guilt-related motives for being so nice to him. Then, he notices McCree sincerely enjoys Junkrat, despite his emotional outbursts still catching the other off guard. McCree and Junkrat swap stories of living on the road and it finally clicks for Roadhog when McCree says “Must’ve been nice to have a guy you can trust constantly watchin’ your back.”

McCree appreciates Junkrat’s honesty. His clarity. Junkrat doesn’t play mind games and, if he tries to, it is clear as day. Roadhog gives himself a small, secret smile. He is glad that everyone is adjusting. If anything, he notices a positive change spreading. McCree is suddenly a little more open with his feelings with the team. That bleeds onto Hanzo, to Genji and Hana, to Lucio and Bridgette, and on and on until a new layer of calm has blanketed the watchpoint.

People no longer hide their breakdowns and instead seek out others for help. People get pass-out drunk a lot less. The watchpoint became friendlier than ever and even Roadhog became less of a shadow and more of a participant in conversations. He still watches Junkrat though, still shouldering the burden of helping him through emotional tirades. Until one day he stumbles upon Junkrat, McCree, and Lucio on the couch one day all holding onto and comforting each other after a rough mission. It is cute so he slips away to the kitchen to make them all hot chocolate, which he only makes for Junkrat on special occasions because the amount of chocolate Junkrat prefers sends him into intense sugar rushes.


End file.
